[November 26, 2014]

Code Fellows Plans Hour of Code for Students in Chicago and Seattle

Code Fellows, a Seattle-based digital trade school, today announced that it has partnered with the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) in Seattle - as well as the Wells Community Academy High School in Chicago - for an Hour of Code, an international campaign designed to demystify computer science for students of all ages and backgrounds, and show that anyone can learn the basics. Spearheaded by Code.org, and now in its second year, the Hour of Code initiative is expected to be the largest online event in history with more than 100 million students participating worldwide.

"Last year's Hour of Code at Forest Ridge School was a terrific experience and it has encouraged us to expand our effort both here in Seatle, and in Chicago - a market we'll be branching into soon," said Kristin Smith, CEO of Code Fellows. "We're also thrilled to have MOHAI as a host partner in Seattle this year and to align with its mission to enrich lives through the exploration of innovation and education."

To kick-off the initiative, Wells High School teachers and Code Fellows instructors will work together with nearly 600 students on Tuesday, December 9th beginning at 8 am. Later that week, on Saturday, December 13th, MOHAI and Code Fellows and will host an Hour of Code for students in grades 2-6 from the greater Seattle community.

Code Fellows instructors will work with teachers and volunteers to oversee a variety of tutorials designed to introduce programming vocabulary, highlight basic programming techniques and illustrate the need for functions.

"This type of mentorship from the local tech community truly enriches the Hour of Code experience," said Rituparna Raichoudhuri, Principal at Wells Community Academy High School. "Not only does it help the kids to better understand the curriculum, but it's also an opportunity for kids to ask questions about careers in computer programming - or about the world of computer science in general."

Seattle-area students interested in attending the Hour of Code workshop at MOHAI on Saturday, December 13th are encouraged to register in advance at www.mohai.org/learn, although walk-ins will be accepted.

The Hour of Code initiative - which takes place annually during Computer Science Education Week (December 8-14) - was started by Code.org, a non-profit dedicated to promoting computer science education, and is being supported by multiple organizations and individuals, including Google (News - Alert), Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Reid Hoffman and Jack Dorsey. The initiative asks schools, teachers and parents to help introduce students of all ages to computer programming during Computer Science Education Week. Recent data suggests that 90% of primary and secondary schools in the U.S. still don't teach computer science classes.

"We're excited to see Code Fellows support the Hour of Code at Wells High School and at MOHAI," said Hadi Partovi, co-founder and CEO of Code.org. "Thanks to the support of over hundreds of organizations and tens of thousands of teachers, the Hour of Code has reached tens of millions of students making it the largest learning campaign in world history."

About Code Fellows

Code Fellows is a Seattle-based digital trade school that guarantees high-paying job offers after successful completion of its Development Accelerators. Their staff, students, and alumni are passionate about helping individuals, communities, and organizations thrive by providing world-class technical education, career coaching, and job placement services. To learn more about Code Fellows, visit www.codefellows.org.

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